I made some expensive mistakes on my first cruise… and they cost me thousands.
From buying art onboard to overbooking excursions, drink package confusion, casino losses, and surprise fees — these are the cruise mistakes most first-time cruisers don’t see coming.
Hi everyone, I’m Laura and welcome to Living on Cruise Control 🚢
After living full-time on cruise ships for over a year, I’m finally sharing the expensive mistakes I made on my very first cruise. Some of these cruise mistakes were embarrassing, some were exhausting, and some were VERY expensive. From buying expensive art onboard, overbooking excursions, misunderstanding drink packages, overspending in the casino, cell phone charges, foreign transaction fees, double tipping, and shopping mistakes… I made plenty of first cruise mistakes so you don’t have to.
If you’re planning your first cruise, this video will help you avoid some of the most common and costly cruise ship mistakes that new cruisers make.
Whether you’re wondering:
→ what not to buy on a cruise
→ how to avoid overspending on a cruise ship
→ what first time cruisers often do wrong
→ how cruise drink packages, spa charges, gratuities, and excursions can add up
this video is for you.
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🎥 WATCH NEXT
12 Cruise Tips Nobody Tells You (After 12 Months Living on Cruise Ships)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g7Vz9sEXco&t=2s
⏰ CHAPTERS
00:00 Expensive mistakes I made on my first cruise
00:53 Why I’m finally sharing these cruise confessions
01:56 My very first cruise on Holland America
02:33 Mistake #1: Buying expensive art onboard
05:50 Why I emotionally bought the Peter Max painting
07:14 Realizing cruise art auctions are everywhere
08:03 The art is still in the crate
09:22 Why sentimental purchases can become a burden
10:25 Don’t make big money decisions at cruise auctions
11:13 Mistake #2: Booking long cruise line excursions at every port
13:26 Why that excursion strategy was exhausting and costly
14:02 Mistake #3: Over-scheduling every single sea day activity
15:49 Mistake #4: Booking expensive spa treatments without checking specials
16:59 Mistake #5: Misunderstanding the drink package
18:30 Vacation mode can lead to costly financial decisions
19:24 Mistake #6: Gambling without understanding casino programs
21:59 Mistake #7: Cruise ship phone charges and airplane mode mistakes
24:05 Mistake #8: Using credit cards with foreign transaction fees
24:57 Mistake #9: Double tipping without realizing it
26:07 Mistake #10: Buying too many souvenirs and paying for extra luggage
27:48 Mistake #11: Buying food I couldn’t legally or practically bring home
30:40 My biggest lessons from my first cruise
31:34 Final advice to avoid expensive cruise ship mistakes
32:26 Honest final thoughts and thanks for watching
#cruisetips #firstcruise #cruisemistakes #cruiseshiptips #cruiseadvice #livingoncruisecontrol
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